Gas-producer.



PATENTED MAY 19, 1908. E. P. SNOWDEN.

GAS PRODUCER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 10, 1907.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0. 88?,860. PA-TENTED MAY 19, 1908. E. P. SNOWDEN.

GAS PRODUCER.

APPLICATION FILED JAE. 10, 1907.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PATENTED MAY 19, 1908.

E. P. SNOWDEN.

GAS PRODUCER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.10, 1907.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

PATENTED MAY 19. 1908.

4 SHEETS-*SHEET 4.

" W r Wm E P SNOWDEN GAS PRODUCER.

APPLICATION FILED JAE. 10, 1907.

SNOWDEN, OF ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI.

GAS-PEQEJUGEFY.

Snownnn, residing at Joseph in, nave luv d certain new iroveinents Gas-Producers,

lowing is s, speciiicstion.

new one imiicn This EILWGDHOR relates to proved pparatus for making What is known protlu gss, product created by con hydrocarbon cor pounds, more essemi -tl1illi'80ltfi one bituminous resin c ll'i'lPlTlVElll tins whereby nounus 'inoy be conv ted more I nipletoly and. eiiicii y then has been possible with known forms retus. it ell. known that Wl'ien carbonaceous fuel is burned. with oxygen, carbonic acid produced; that when the letter is t rough at mass of incandescent car bon, it is o #"erterl into carbonic oxid. It "*"o "W vnown that the prod .cts of disng from the combustion of cs1 el co tining a considerable per matter will conilerse unless i e temperature of that it requires about nvert these products into a i 'eznp tes insinmining the products of dist ll tion at all times during the process above 358 ll, so as to Prevent any condensation of the hydrocoraon products; and itnlso contemplates subjecting these products to a temperature of about HOO" F. (luring their conversion into a lined l fiien atmospheric air is used. to furnish the oxygen for the combustion carbonaceous fuel, and steam is added. thereto, the

end-hydrogen of which the latter is becomes dissociated at high temnerstu' the oxygen thus liberated coinnines "i is ome of the carbon, forming an additional .V ipply of carbonic oxid, and the iiissoe'titeil l'iy-iirogen enriches the first prodcoinoustioi i end thus reduces the ilnent nitroyen the composed Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented 19, 1908.

Ration filed January 1D, 1907. Serial 1Y0. 251,794

above the temperature of about 1106 $1 (leoentls the :iniount'ol steam and condensia ble matter that can be converted into fixed gas.

i am aware that sttenu ts l1 ave been made to convert the condensob e vsp and vols tile matter from tlzetop zone of generators into a fixed gas by conveying the some through pipes or conduits and reintroducing them into the combustion zone of the generator; but so for as I am aware a serious fault hitherto inliering in such methods or" procedure has been the failure to maintain their: at suiliciently high teinpereture end the consequent liability of such vapors and volatile matter to cornlense prior to their reintroduction and conversion.

An important feature of my present invention, therefore, resides in the means I employ for maintaining such condenssble vapors and volatile matter at e temperature considerably shove the condensing point prior their reintroduction to the combustion zone and their conversion into fixed gas therein.

While has heretofore oeen prooosed to produce such a product as conteinpietei'l by bonsceous fuel and subsequently the products of combustion tl11()u*ll incendescent fuel in order to give a fixed character thereto, yet so far as I know, this has never been successfully accomplished owing (l) to the condensing of the first products of (listi lotion prior to reintroduction to the incendescent fuel; or (2) through lack of proper control of the direction of flow of the gases and volatile matter; resulting either in the diversion of the first products of combustion, unconverted into a fixed gas, into the (lelivery conduit for the letter, or the diversion of the fixed gases from their pro er and intended course of travel into tire path of travel of the original supply of oxygen and hydrogen.

In order that my present invention may be the more readily and fully understood, 1 have herein illustrated an eppzu'etus eruoodying the principle thereof in on approved mechanical form, which apparatus is fully shown in the accompanying drawings, in

..icli,

Figure 1 is e central vertical sectional View on the line l-1 of Fig. 4 through the complete apparatus Z an enlarged vertical v J on line 2i3 ihrough the. main intermediate portion of the furnace; Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the same, on an enlarged scale, more particularly showing the arrangement of the steam pipes and poke-holes; Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 4--4 of Fig.' 1 Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional detail of the nozzle through which air or air and steam is introduced to the furnace from below; and Fig. 6

is a detail of the steam and air supply for the I .said basin also constituting an ash bed in which rests an ash column indicated at 14 immediately beneath and supporting the fuel column. That portion of the interior of the furnace body immediately above the ash column is designed to support a body of in candcscent fuel, the central portion at least of which consists of some form of carbonaceous compound, prcl'crahlysomehindofbituminous or similar coal from which the carbonaceous elements of t-he gas to be produced are obtained.

Embedded in the foundation l0, and prelcrably surrounded by an insulating pipe 15, is a pipe 16, through which is passed air, or steam, or both together, for supporting combustion ol' the fuel in,the generator. This pipe 1.6, with its surrounding and insulating pipe l5, extends upward through the ash column. coiucidently with the axial center of the generator, being prcl'erably surrounded by a thick concrete insulation 17 (Fig. 5), and terminates in a suitable apertured coneshaped delleetor nozzle 18 designed to disperse and spray the incoming air or air and steam, so that the same may enter the super posed body of fuel in a thoroughly com- .minglcd and linely divided and distributed state. For this purpose the nozzle may be provided with an annular seriesof lateral apertures 19, and its cap or cover with oblique a )ertin'es 30, above which latter may be applied a dellecting cap or hood 21 serv ing to disperse in radial directions the oblique jets discharged through the apertures 20, and to protect the escape apertures from clogging. I

:22 indicates "the intermmliate or central portion of a body of iiu-andescent fuel, and 225 indical es the surrounding or annular portion of the lire. in practice the portions '22 and 23 may, and commonly will, consist of a single body of incamlescent fuel; but as a matter of fact the central and surrounding annular parts of the body of fuel constitute in effect two distinct fires having independent functions; for which purpose the central portion mustbe of some carbonaceous gasproducing fuel; while the outer or annular portion need only be of a combustible material capable of maintaining a degree of heat (11U0 F. or higher) sufiicient to convert the distilled hydrocarbons and volatile products generated by the central lire into a fixed gas.

Embedded in the walls of the generator at intervals therearound are vertical conduits 24, which conduits open at their upper ends into the chamber of the generator slightly above the upper surface of the fuel, and at their lower ends open into the chamber of the generator slightly above the plane of the bottom end of the incandescent body of fuel.

The walls of the generator above the upper ends of the conduits 24; are yertieallv grooved. as indicated at 25 in alinement with the conduits 24, within .which vertical grooyes are inserted pipes 26 the lower ends whereof extend some distance into the conduits Z-l, as best shown in Fig. .2. These pipes are for the purpose of admitting superheated steam to lorm a strong suction in the conduits 24 for the purpose of drawing the products of combustion from the central por tion 2'2 of the incandescent fuel. and also to supply oxygen for supporting combustion in the outer or annular ire 213, said steam )ipe-s 26 being connected at their upper ends by suitably valved couplings .27 to an annular steam pipe .28, whichlatter is supplied from steam supply pipe 39 indirectly through superheating means herein shown as consisting of pipes Ht) extending from the top of the generatm' nearly to the bottom of inclosing tubes 31, said pipes 230 being connected to the steam supply pipe 22) and its branch 29, and the tubes 30 being connected through valve-controlled branches 31 with the annu lar distributing pipe 28. it will be seen that by virtue 0F this arrangenn-nt the steam from the orignal source of supply passes llrst through the pipes 30 and tube 31 which depend into the combustion chamber of the generator, and is thereby superheated prior to its introduction to the conduits 24-. Surrounding lhe steam-pipes 36 l may also have enveloping air pipes 2e. controlled by valves 26" (see Fig. til for the purpose of introducing air along with the stcani for the purpose of the better supporting combustion in the outer orannular lit. me 23.

Embedded in the wall of the generator between the planes of the upper and lower surfaces ol the lire, is an annular conduit 32 designed to receive and carry oll' the lixed gas from the outer annular lire. for which purpose the conduit 32 has a series of inner radial ports 83 opening through the inner suris mounted a fuel feeding evi ce indicated as vole. ile

V of the generator oi intervals. The ooo- (1111?; also has ptofembly a con /sponaliog series of short radial orts 34v opposito fihe redial ports extending" to the outer e111"- foce o'l' thogenoretor wall and covered by sulfa cops 35, so as to constitute sight openinp's for observing the eomliiioo. fire, poking eto, at that level. The conduit 32 o oo communicates at one or more points with & (lisol'lm'ge conduit indicated at 36 in Figs. 2 and i, which latter connects with on exhaust blower or fan (not. shown) whereby an induced draft is main mined in the delivery conduit 31? generator may also p 7 of signt holes 37 eov' ered by cops 38 and locoted su osiontio-liy o P051555 the normal bottom of the fuel eol: .i; so to "noble the location and ooodiaio. the bottom of the "fuel column be remi'lily inspected in over to counteract shrinkage which 00 airs at the periphery oz circumference of thef *1 column, in case bituminous or similar f used, and which ii-l' wrofore is a t Lo 6 leakage or short-drooling oi the acts of combustion and volatile matter su-co points, from the top of the fuel column (hreotly to the radial ports 33, I prefembly employ an annular member 39 having a tapering and downwardly oom'ergen inner sm'fooe located opposite the upper surface $119. fuel. body, so that o oompomtivel intimafie @onbaez of he fuel body with the woll of t ammo is maintained, l'lo'' /yithsiencb ing toe shrinkage of the fuel body, end leolzage such pomL-s is prevented, as will I more readily understood in connection Willi; the zloscl'iption of the mode of oyemtioo of the apparatus illustrated.

05 the upper end of ihe enemtor chamber 22 Whole by 40, the purpose of Whig-h is to food l -5 *alu's t. l, o v

.the coal uniformly and continuously to the through fire beneath. The particular construction of 26, this fuel-feeding device forms no port of the present invenuon, but the principal parts :cen thereof comprise a fuel magazine 40* conthe produo gaining in its 11 per ortion a hopper 4G 'dowim ordl having a contra disc large opening 40, a one so. vertical axially disposed shaft 40 extending steam,

thro glx the hopper, a i'otezy distributor 40 Seoul (l to the lower end. of sold shalt Wlth depending delivery chutes or tubes 40 o sleeve 40 surrounding the shafiz 40 and provided with radial sweeps 49 overlying the :lis'tribuier 40, bevel gears M? and ll? on the upper ends of the shaft and sleeve respectively, and driving Jlilifiix 40" on a shaft 40 operating said bevel shown. Em intermediate distribute 40 the coal being displeased there inuvioioliy r rojeotmg 1100 F., are converted into a fixed gas, which is drawn oil to the point of storage or consumption through the ports 33, conduits 32, and outlet '36. It should be observed as constituting an important result secured by the apparatus of the present invention that the reentry conduits 24 are, by virtue of their position in the generator, maintained at such a high temperature (above 350 F.) as to prevent lowering of the temperature of the products of distillation therethrough below that point, whereby cmidensation of such products of distillation or any part thereof is prevented. The discharge of the fixed through the ports 33, conduit 32, and discharge branch 36, is insured by reason. of the induced draft and the shorter path between the lower ends of the reentry conduits 24 and the ports 33 as eon'ipared with the distance between the lower ends of said reentry conduits and the central zone of the [ire body through which the original air and steam. are passing.

I do not herein claim the novel method of making producer gas l'iereinabove disclosed andtypically carried out by the apparatus described, since the same forms the subjectrnatter of a companion application filed con currently herewith, Serial No. 351,705.

I claim:

1.. In a gas prodiui-er, a generation chamber adapted to contain a body of incandescent fuel and provided with one or more reentry ducts formed wholly in the walls thereof located. opposite said body of fuel, in combination with means for introducing and forcing an initial and through the central zone of said fuel body, substantially as described.

2. in a gas producer, a generation chamber adapted to contain a body of incandescent fuel and provided with a plurality of reentry ducts formed in the walls thereof located opposite said body of fuel, and also provided with an annular'eduction conduit located between the upper and lower ends of said reentry ducts and having lateral ports comniunica'ting with the interior of said generation cluimbcr between the upper and lower surfaces of said fuel body, in combination withn'ieans for introducing and forcing an oxygen-bearing agent to andthroua'h the central zone of said fuel body, means for inducing the return of flu gaseous products of co nl'nistion and distillation to the body of incandescent fuel through said reentry ducts, and means for inducing the passage of said gaseous products of combustion and distillation through the outer zone of said body of incaruloscent fuel and said cductirm conduit, 1

substantially as described.

3. in a producer, a generation chain-- oxygen-bearing agent to.

ber adapted to contain a body of incandescent fuel and provided with a plurality of reentry ducts formed in the walls thereof located opposite said body of fuel, the upper ends of said ducts opening into the generation chamber slightly above the upper surface of the fuel and their lower ends opening thereinto slightly above the bottom of said fuel, in combination with steam pipes eX- tending into said reentry ducts from their upper ends, and air pipes also extending into said reentry ducts, one of said air and steam pipes, surrmnuling the other whereby injccted steam entrains air, substantially as described. 7

a. 1n a gas producer, a generation chamber adapted'to contain a body of incandescent fuel and provided with a. plurality of reentry ducts formed in the walls thereof opposite said body of fuel and with an annular eduction conduit embedded in the walls thereof and having lateral ports opening into said generation chamber opposite said fuel body-and between the upper and lower ends of said reentry ducts, in combination with av ring-shaped member having a downwardly convergent inner surface set in the walls of the gcneratm' in the plane of the upper surface of the fuel to counteract shrinkage of the latter and prevent leakage of the products of combustion between the fuel body and the walls of the generator, substantially as described.

5. in a gas producer, a generation chamber adapted to contain a body of incandescent fuel and provided with a plurality of reentry ducts formed in the walls thereof oppositc said body of fuel and with an annular cduction conduit embedded in the Walls thereof and having" lateral ports opening into said generation chamber opposite said fuel body and between the upper and, lower ends of said reentry ducts, in combination with a delivery nozzle for an oxygen-bearing inedium located centrally of and bcneatl'rsaid fuel body, said parts being; so proportioned as to provide a shorter path for the oxygenbearing medium from said delivery nozzle to the upper surface of the fuel body than from said delivery nozzle to the lateral ports of said annular eduction conduit, and also to provide a shorter path of travel for the products of combustion and distillation from the lower ends of said reentry ducts to said lateral ports of the annular eduction:conduit than from the lower ends of said rei'mtry ducts to the upper surface of the fuel, substantially as described.

lilDll Altl) l. SNOWDEN'. \Vitucsses:

SAMUEL N. loxo, (lime. A. llwnvnv. 

